In a pluralistic society, it is unclear who can legitimately speak on behalf of relevant identity groups

Standpoint theory also entails a fourth claim, which is more political in nature: that members of dominant groups should defer to members of marginalized groups in the name of political progress. But in a pluralistic society, it is unclear who can legitimately speak on behalf of relevant identity groups. In practice, most members of dominant groups are going to either ignore demands to defer to members of marginalized groups or anoint people with whom they already agree as the “true” spokespeople of those groups.

We should therefore insist on a more ambitious account of political solidarity and the role of empathy. True solidarity would have two elements: First, each of us would listen to members of other identity groups with an open mind, empathizing with the forms of oppression to which they may be subject. And second, each of us would strive to remedy genuine injustices, not out of a misguided sense of deference, but because they violate our own aspirations for the kind of society in which we want to live.

— Yascha Mounk, The Identity Trap

Art by Tibor Nagy

“Praying” by Mary Oliver

It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don’t try
to make them elaborate, this isn’t
a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.

Lunch money

My PhD advisor told me to put a ten dollar bill between the pages of my thesis in the university library. So I can check to see if anyone read it? I asked. No, of course no one will read it, he replied, but when you come back into town you’ll always have money for lunch.

— Carl T. Bergstrom

“El Zocodover, Toledo, Spain” by Childe Hassam

Until they do

If you don’t know the exact moment the lights will go out, you might as well read until they do.

— Clive James

“Birthday” by Billy Collins

Before it was over 
I took out a pencil and a notepad 
and figured out roughly what was left—
a small box of Octobers, a handful of Aprils, 

little time to waste reading a large novel 
on the couch every evening, 
a few candles flaming in the corners of the room. 
A fishbowl of Mondays, a row of Fridays—

yet I cannot come up with anything 
better than to strike a match, 
settle in under a light blanket, 
and open to the first sentence of Clarissa. 

Look at me setting off on this long journey 
through ink and tears, 
through secrecy and distress, 
anticipation and swordplay. 

As the darkness thickens 
and the morning glory puts down its trumpet, 
as worms begin to sing in the garden, 
and Christ looks down from the wall, 

I will begin inching toward the end—
page one thousand five hundred and thirty-three 
in this paperback Penguin edition, 
introduction and notes by one Angus Ross.

Photo by Marisha Petrashevskaya

Convinced that they are under siege

In early 2017, a month into Trump’s presidency, the Public Religion Research Institute asked a sample of Americans which religious group they thought faced more discrimination in the United States, Muslims or Christians. The general public was twice as likely to pick Muslims in response; non-religious respondents were three times as likely. Both white Catholics and white mainline Protestants agreed, in overwhelming fashion, that Muslims face more discrimination in the United States than Christians. Only one group of respondents dissented from this view: white evangelicals.

Jeffress was inviting an obvious question: Once a person becomes convinced that they are under siege–that enemies are coming for them and want to destroy their way of life–what is to stop that person from becoming radicalized?

— Tim Alberta, The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory